


Learning Curves

by thegayemu



Series: Deaf Jaskier [2]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Deaf Character, Deaf Jaskier, Gen, Geralt learns accessibility, on the road
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:21:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27856689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegayemu/pseuds/thegayemu
Summary: Traveling with a Deaf bard comes with a pretty steep learning curve. Even getting his attention presents new challenges. Geralt is determined to make his path accessible nonetheless.
Series: Deaf Jaskier [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2039297
Comments: 4
Kudos: 112





	Learning Curves

**Author's Note:**

> So I really enjoyed writing the last Deaf!Jaskier fic, and I couldn't get this out of my head. So I guess now this is just a thing I do. It's not necessary (though encouraged) to have read the first fic, [_What Isn't Said ___](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27825253) _ _, to understand this one.__
> 
> _  
> ___  
> [Find me on Tumblr :)](https://brasskier.tumblr.com/)  
>   
> 

Traveling with Jaskier again comes with a learning curve. Not only is there the emotional weight of what'd happened, the shifting of their dynamic together. But Jaskier is deaf now - not just deaf, but Deaf, proudly and unrelentingly. And that comes with new challenges, unanticipated roadblocks. The world is not built for people like Jaskier. The _Path_ is not built for people like Jaskier. And try as he may to fight against that, and as much as he wished he could, Geralt cannot just single handedly bend the entire Continent to his will overnight.

What Geralt _can_ do is bend _himself_ to his will, make their own little slice of existence as accessible as possible. And that is exactly what he resolves to do when he buys a notebook and pen during one of their occasional supply runs, while Jaskier is distracted by a stall of pretty flowers and fine art. He takes notes by firelight when he's certain Jaskier is asleep. And he learns a lot this way.

One, Jaskier knows better. He could stretch his empathy to the ends of the Earth and still never be able to understand what Jaskier experienced. For as long as the bard was Deaf and he was not, Jaskier was the expert, and he learned to defer to him. This was, of course, not easy; Geralt was used to being in charge. He _liked_ being in charge. But if Jaskier said he needed something, or told him something wasn't working, or asked for help - well, Geralt had to listen for a change.

Two, Jaskier is not any quieter now than he was before. If anything, he's even louder, compensating for what he cannot hear, setting on what he hopes is an appropriate volume and missing the mark wildly. And if he's not talking with his voice - if he's too tired to manage the effort, or if it's advantageous for one reason or another to remain silent - he's talking with his hands. And, gods, Geralt had no idea just how loud one could be with just their hands until he's being shouted at in common sign by a very disgruntled and very intoxicated bard.

Three, speaking of common sign, learning is hard. It's frustrating. The grammar is different from both common speech and every other language he'd ever picked up a bit of here and there. While Jaskier seemed to have a natural gift for language - both wielding it and learning it - Geralt did not. Sometimes, his mistakes were funny, especially when his misshapen form accidentally translated into something dirty or rude. ( _Melitele's tits_ , Jaskier's sense of humor was that of a child's.) But sometimes they were in danger and they needed to move _now_ and Geralt couldn’t get the words out with his hands. So he studied harder, and, slowly but surely, he learned.

Four, other people were jerks. When his voice prompted strangers to ask where he was from, Jaskier did not have the sense of self-preservation to just lie. And their interactions weren't always kind after that, the stranger diverting their words to Geralt as if somehow not being able to hear made Jaskier less intelligent or less competent. Geralt spent a lot of time angry on his behalf, at first because _why can't he just lie, name a random town?_ And then because, as they traveled longer he realized, he shouldn't have to. A thinly veiled lie shouldn't be a prerequisite for respect. 

Five, they were always finding new problems and new solutions. Sometimes Jaskier would tell him he needed something, and other times Geralt would silently notice something and adjust. Jaskier had a little bit more hearing in his left ear, so Geralt made a point of riding on his left. There was no common sign equivalent of Geralt's signature "boorish grunts" which disappointed both of them, prompting Jaskier to tell him to just sign the word _grunt_ or _sigh_ or _hum_ and he'd know what he meant. When Geralt needed his attention, and he was both out of earshot and easy reach, he’d just chuck something at Jaskier. Sure, the bard griped about it ceaselessly, but he had to admit, it _was_ effective. 

Six, Jaskier was not broken. It didn't matter how much Geralt assumed anyone would want to be able to hear, or the judgement cast by the assortment of characters they'd meet along their way. Jaskier was not broken and therefore nothing needed to be fixed. He made that abundantly clear the first time he offered to find Yennefer, and then apologized when he assumed it was the mage's name that offended him. But he was wrong, Jaskier didn't want to see _any_ mage, because this is how he is and how he experiences the world and he doesn't care to change that. And so long as he’s happy, Geralt doesn’t care to change it either.

Seven, did he mention people are dicks? Occasionally, when the pair were signing, people would assume Geralt was deaf, too. And sometimes, under that assumption, they'd treat him like an idiot too. Only Geralt could actually hear their snide comments and hushed whispers. The tiniest glimpse into Jaskier's world, and he was one pitiful stare away from flipping the whole tavern on its head. Thank the gods Jaskier had always been the more forgiving of the two.

Eight, using common sign was a full-body endeavor, which he had not expected. He had to sign with his hands, indicate tone with his facial expressions, and provide context with his body language. Geralt was used to deadpan stares and folded arms and tight-lipped growls. He had to remember to raise his brow if he was trying to ask a question, or make his signs sharper and more forceful if his message was urgent, or provide some semblance of a window into his thoughts when he merely signed, "grunt". _Expressive_ was never a word he would've used to describe himself, but here he was. Damned bard was making him soft.

So, all in all, yes, traveling with Jaskier again is hard. It's difficult in a million more ways than it already had been, and Geralt would be lying if he said it didn't keep him up at night worrying sometimes. But even Roach seems to have caught on, brushing her nose against Jaskier when she decides she wants his attention instead of her usual nicker or neigh. And if a bloody horse can figure it out, Geralt tells himself, then so can he. Traveling with Jaskier again is hard. But being alone would be far worse.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm already halfway through a prologue fic where we actually see Jaskier's initial reaction, so it's safe to say I'm going to be writing more of these. 
> 
> As always, feel free to stop by and say hi on my [Tumblr](https://brasskier-target.tumblr.com/)


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